Cultural calendar, October 9-16, 2003

THURSDAY, October 9PERFORMANCE Scene acting study for teens: In this weekly evening class, students age 13-19 explore language and character while sharpening skills of self-awareness, observation, and articulate use of the voice and body. Classes run until October 30, culminating in a final presentation in Live Arts' new space. Instructor: Amanda McRaven. Live Arts LAB, 609 E. Market St. 5-7pm. $60 Live Arts members/$75 others. 977-4177 x100.

FAMILY Little literati: The five-and-under crowd can hear stories from the popular series Harold and the Purple Crayon at Barnes & Noble's preschool story time. Stickers and cookies are part of the fun, too. 10:30am. Free. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-6598.

Sign of the times: Kids can learn to sign before they speak with American Sign Language classes at The Village Playhouse. Classes are taught by Tara Reid, who says kids think it's fun. A 12-week Intro to ASL for kids ages six to eight starts today. 3-4pm. $115 for the session, $10 for drop-ins. 313 Second St. SE. 296-9390.

Pet love: An SPCA Humane Educator comes to Northside Library to talk about how to take care of your pet. Word has it she may even bring along some furry friends. For kids in kindergarten and up. Registration required. 4pm. Free. Albemarle Square. 973-7893.

WALKABOUT Separation support: Lesbians and gay men who have experienced a break and need a safe place to cope with loss, process feelings, and create a new beginning meet every Thursday night, 7-8:30pm. Sponsored by Focus. Info: 978-2195.

Byte by Bite: A monthly brown-bag lunch program on computers and technology. Learn how organizations like Computers4Kids close the gap between children who can afford to have a home computer and those who can't. Jefferson Room of the Central Library at 201 E. Market St. Noon. Free. 295 4410.

First class postage: Henry Box Brown shipped himself out of slavery in a sealed box. Richmond resident Jeffrey Ruggles has written a book about this extraordinary activist and performer, The Unboxing of Henry Brown, recently published by the Library of Virginia. The library celebrates the publication with a day-long symposium exploring African-American life in Virginia and its history of abolitionism and slavery. An exhibit of escape narratives, a discussion of the Underground Railroad, a bus-tour of historic Richmond spots, and a book-signing by Ruggles are all part of the program. $25 for registration and boxed lunch, morning events free to the public. 804-692-3722.

TUNES Paul Wilkinson (Parker Paul), Broken Hips, and Nad Navillus at Tokyo Rose: Parker Paul frontman Paul Wilkinson brings his dark and comical songs to the Rose. Performing along with him will be former Songs: Ohia collaborator Dan Sullivan, the thrust behind Nad Navillus, has expanded his project into a full band for his latest album, Iron Night. $5, 10:30pm.

FRIDAY, October 10PERFORMANCE The House of Bernarda Alba: UVA's drama department kicks off its 2003-4 season with Federico Garcia Lorca's final play, a drama exploring the emotional dynamics of a family wrenched apart by society's sexual taboos. Tonight's the last show. 8pm. Culbreth Theatre, 109 Culbreth Road. $7-12. 924-3376. See Performance feature.

Brighton Beach Memoirs: Four County Players presents Neil Simon's autobiographical comedy/drama about life as a Brooklyn teenager in 1937. Directed by Michael Morris. 8pm. Runs through October 19. Barboursville Community Center, Rt. 678 and Community Center Lane. $8-12. 540-832-5355.

No Shame Theater: Up for a theatrical nightcap? Join performers at this alternative venue for original material by anyone about anything. The first 15 people who show up get a spot on stage. Or you can just watch the carryings on. Live Arts LAB, 609 E. Market St. 11pm. $5 at the door. 977-4177.

Coffeehouse 13: For the last production at its Market Street space, Live Arts returns to its roots with the legendary cabaret performance series that put the theater on the map. Light fare, drinks, and desserts are served beginning one hour before show time. 8pm. 609 E. Market St. $8-12, light fare $7-10. 977-4177 x108.

WALKABOUT Autumn Arabian Classic at the Virginia Horse Center: Shows featuring Arabians, Paints, and therapeutic riding. Through Sunday, October 12. Call 540-464-2950 for information and show times. 467 Maury River Road, on the northwest side of Lexington. Free.

TUNES The Hackensaw Boys with Sarah White & The Pearls at Starr Hill Music Hall: Freshly returned from their third national journey of the year with the Unlimited Sunshine Tour (featuring Cheap Trick, Cake, and The Detroit Cobras, among many others), The Hackensaw Boys are ready to show off the fire-breathing, guitar-swinging, falsetto-bearing big rock show they learned on tour. Think I'm joking? Go see for yourself. $12/$10 advance, 10pm.

Tartuffe: Shenandoah Shakespeare presents a new production of Moliere's comic masterpiece in the Blackfriars Playhouse. Today's show is a matinee at 2pm. 10 S. Market St., Staunton. $10-26. 540-885-5588.

Brighton Beach Memoirs: See Friday, October 10.

Coffeehouse 13: See Friday, October 10. Tonight's is the last show.

Dance Audition Notice: Miki Liszt Dance Company is holding auditions for adult dancers. The audition will include a modern dance class, improvisation, and a request to show a two- to five-minute dance piece of the auditioner's choosing. Please bring a dance resumé. 10:30am-12:30pm. McGuffey Art Center Studio, 201 N. First St. 973-3744.

WALKABOUT Monticello: preparing the soil for spring: Any experienced gardener realizes how soil preparation is the key to successful gardening. Maggie Stemann Thompson directs this workshop by showing participants how to go about revitalizing their land. Reservations required; call 984-9822. Meets at the Monticello Gift Shop, 9:30am. $10.

Autumn Arabian Classic at the Virginia Horse Center: See Friday, October 10.

FAMILY Llama mamas: The Virginia Museum of Natural History at UVA takes a trip to the Lower Sherwood Llama Farm for a tour and talk. 10:30am. Free. Call for reservations and directions. Space is limited. 982-4605.

Dark and stormy night: The Science Museum of Virginia goes into the graveyard to get a jump on Halloween. Intrepid visitors can dig dinosaur bones and learn about mummies, see how worms make your life wonderful, look into a cow's eye (really look inside), and catch Frankenstein Fever in a scavenger hunt. The Carpenter Science Theatre's performance of "Frankenstein Lives!" plays at 3pm, and a triple-feature planetarium show sparkles at 6pm. Noon-4pm. (Frankenstein Lives also shows Tuesdays and Fridays at 11am.) Most activities are included in the price of admission. The play costs $5. 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond. 800-659-1727. smv.org.

Making tracks: The Autumn Leaf Rambler chugs into the forested countryside of rural Buckingham County today offering folks a unique peek at the peak of fall foliage from the vantage of a vintage passenger train. Early reservations are recommended for this very popular excursion offering morning and afternoon round trips from the Dillwyn station. More trips on October 18, and 25. Fare is $20 for adults, $10 for children. Rt. 15 in Dillwyn. 800-451-6318. odcnrhs.org.

Apple season: It's apple harvest time and Graves' Mountain is having a festival to celebrate. See Family feature.

TUNES Gospel concert: Jonathan Spivey directs Grammy Award-winner Ann Nesby, the 50-member Mount Zion Church Choir, the 30-member New Green Mountain Church Choir, and the First Baptist Transformation Station in a show to benefit the Mt. Zion First African Baptist Church. $15/$12 advance. Charlottesville Performing Arts Center, Melbourne Road at Charlottesville High School. 971-8616.

Brady Earnhart at Gravity Lounge: The acoustic folk/pop of Brady Earnhart features some of the best lyrical work in town&endash; great melodies, great words, what else do you need? $7, 8:30pm.

Bands Against Bush: All Of 15, The Lilas, Civil War Re-Enactors, and Those Crazi Bruce Lee Power Kicks at Old Michie Building Courtyard: The Charlottesville chapter of Bands Against Bush is part of an "international movement to unite bands, musicians, artists, and other creative people in opposition to the presently controversial and militaristic policies of the current US government." This Saturday will feature musical performances from All Of 15, The Lilas, Civil War Re-Enactors, and Those Crazi Bruce Lee Power Kicks (I swear those last two are the same band with different monikers), as well as speakers and informational giveaways. Free, 12pm.

Sunday salsa: The Charlottesville Salsa Club sponsors a weekly opportunity to learn and practice salsa and other dances in a smoke-free nightclub atmosphere. A basic lesson (usually salsa) gets the evening started at 8pm. Complimentary water and sodas. The Outback Lodge, 917 Preston Ave. 8pm-midnight. $3-5. cvillesalsaclub.com or 979-7211.

FAMILY Scared stiff: Families can celebrate fall at Central Library's Scarecrow Bash. Participants will enjoy some great scarecrow tales and create their own child-sized scarecrow to display at the library. 2pm. Free. 201 E. Market St. 979-7151, ext. 3.

Park it: Two great events are scheduled for this week's Sundays in the Park when McIntire Golf Course will be off-limits to golfers from noon until dark so others can play. Experts have declared the park to be the best place in the city to get your kite going, so go fly a kite this afternoon. Also, All Things Pawsible is sponsoring a "Bark in the Park" from 1-4pm. Dog owners and their pets can get in on eight great contests including Kissing, Best Vocalist, Most Disobedient, and Best Nickname. As always, dogs must remain on a leash. Free. 970-3589. charlottesville.org.

Seed and suet&endash; birding in winter: Learn to care for our feathered friends. 9am-2pm. Various programs, each $3 for members, $5 for non-members. Trillium House at Wintergreen Resort. 325-7491.

TUNESKing Golden Banshee at Dürty Nelly's: Traditional Irish music group King Golden Banshee's Sunday night shows at Dürty Nelly's are one big musical love fest&endash; all ages come and enjoy their whimsy. No cover, 6:30pm.

Evan Dando with Vic Chesnutt at Starr Hill: It's A Shame About Ray is a great album, setting the standard for blessed out alterna-pop/folk in the early '90s. But that was 1992. Come check out the new stuff. $15/$14 advance, 9pm.

MONDAY, October 13FAMILY Musical Mondays: Local children's singer/songwriter and music therapist Cathy Bollinger visits the Village Playhouse on Monday mornings for music class for munchkins. The six-week session runs through November 10 and includes educational songs, finger plays, and movement. Sessions for two- to three-year-olds at 10am, three- to four-year-olds at 10:30am. $30 for the session, $6 each. 313 Second St. SE. 296-9390.

WALKABOUT Reading aloud: Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic hosts an Open House, 5pm-7pm. Learn how you can record textbooks. 1020 Millmont St. 293-4797.

George Melvin (piano merriment) at South Street Brewery. No cover, 9:30pm. (W)

TUESDAY, October 14PERFORMANCE LiveArts Acting LAB: This weekly Tuesday night class with instructor Carol Pederson allows actors to review the fundamentals of acting technique, brush up audition skills, and explore scenes from the plays in LiveArts' new season. Drop-in session from 7-8pm, full session from 7-10pm. The Attic, The Glass Building, 313 Second St. SE, Studio 208. $10 drop-in. 977-4177 x100.

Audition notice: Four County Players is holding auditions of actors ages 10 to adult for its upcoming production of The Hobbit, which will run from December 5-21. Please come ready to read from the script and dressed for comfortable movement. If you are interested in working on the show in an offstage capacity, either come to auditions, or call. 7pm. Barboursville Community Center, Rt. 678 and Community Center Lane. 540-832-5677.

TUNES Weird War (formerly Scene Creamers) (with infectious diseases) at Tokyo Rose: Scene Creamers' show at the Rose last year was a major hit-&endash; funk and Motown-influenced rock n' roll, and more attitude than you can handle. Let's see what that name change did for them. $5, 10:30pm.

FAMILY Baby book: Children's storybook author Kate Laing reads from her latest book, Best Kind of Baby, at a special toddler storytime and book signing at Barnes & Noble. 10:30am. Free. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-6598.

Dog days: SPCA humane educators and their furry companions show kids five and up how to train their own dogs during National Animal Safety Month at Gordon Avenue Library. Two-legged participants only, please. 4pm. Free. 1500 Gordon Ave. 296-5544.

More little literati: The five-and-under crowd can hear stories from the popular series Harold and the Purple Crayon at Barnes & Noble's preschool story time. Stickers and cookies are part of the fun, too. 10:30am. Free. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-6598.

WORDS Confused Bastards in India: Local author Don Webster has written an engaging history of the little-known WWII CBI theater (China-Burma-India) and the impossibly cranky American hero behind it, General "Vinegar Joe" Stillwell. His book tour starts at home at New Dominion Bookshop, 5:30 pm. Downtown Mall. 295-2552. See Words feature.

Modern plague: As many as 100 million people world-wide will be HIV/AIDS positive by 2010. Determining how to deter its spread is one of the most important priorities in modern pharmacy. Mary Ann Leeper, director of the global launch of the Female Condom, discusses "The Faces of AIDS: Issues of Prevention and Treatment in Developing Countries." Jordan Hall Auditorium, UVA Grounds 12:30-1:30pm, to be followed by a roundtable discussion at the School of Nursing, 2-3pm. Free and open to the public. 924-0138.

Old hotel trail: A great hike, approximately four miles. Register by Tuesday at noon. $7 members, $10 non-members. Free. At Trillium House at Wintergreen Resort. 325-7491

TUNES The Black Keys with The Magic Magicians at Starr Hill: The Black Keys, an Ohio blues-rock duo, are probably one of the best acts Starr Hill is going to have all year-&endash; not speaking to the venue's booking talents, just to the fact that the act is superb. $10/$8, 9pm. See Tunes feature.

THURSDAY, October 16PERFORMANCE Coffeehouse 13: See Friday, October 10. Tonight's show is at 7:30pm.

Second City: Chicago's legendary comedy theater comes to Piedmont Virginia Community College. Their performance features some of the best sketches, songs, and improvisations from The Second City's four-decade history. 7:30pm. $6-17. V. Earl Dickson Building, 501 College Drive. 961-5376.

WALKABOUT Challenging Sexual Violence and HIV/AIDS in South Africa: Learn about programs that teach HIV/AIDS prevention through indigenous song and dance, and an organization that empowers rape survivors by changing how the local medical and criminal justice systems respond to sexual violence. This presentation also teaches tools and strategies to create a meaningful research project abroad. 7:30pm. University of Virginia, International Residence College. Free.

WORDS Dean's library: Mary Baldwin faculty clear their shelves for the annual Friends of Staunton Library book sale, which begins today. Over 5,000 books from the collections feature works of history, sociology, philosophy, and the arts, to supplement standard library holdings in romance, mystery, and children's books. October 16&endash;19. Staunton Library, 1 Churchville Ave. 540-342-3902.

TUNES Joshua Mayo at Coupe DeVille's: The sweet sounds of acoustic-pop singer/songwriter Joshua Mayo have been heard on the Corner for a while-&endash; why don't you go check him out, if you haven't yet? No cover, 10pm.

Up in the air: Mark Nizer, first place winner of the International Juggling Championships, performs Saturday, October 18, at 8pm. Mark has performed everywhere from Lincoln Center in NYC to the Improv in Los Angeles and on tour with Bob Hope. "If you don't like jugglers...you'll love Mark Nizer," says his press blurb. Adults $15 ($12 in advance), students $10 ($8 in advance). Carysbrook Performing Arts Center. 842-1333 for tickets and info.

Join in the conversation: English as Second Language learners interact with native English speakers at the Dialogue Café. In the Adult Learning Center at 1000 Preston Ave. Thursdays 11:30am&endash;1pm. 245-2815.

Historic Downtown Charlottesville: Walking tour given by the Albemarle County Historical Society. $3. Meet at the McIntire Building, 200 Second St. Saturdays 10am. 296-1492.

Madison's will: The last will and testament of James Madison is now on display at Montpelier. The four-page hand-written document plus codicil was executed in April 1835, little more than a year before the President's death. The will is visible in the Document Gallery on the first floor of the Montpelier mansion and joins a new exhibit of rare versions of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. 9:30am-5:30pm through October. For more information and directions see montpelier.org or call 672 2728.

Farmer's markets: The more the merrier. Charlottesville's is on Saturday mornings, the Scottsville Farmer's Market is open Thursdays 4pm-dark, through October, under a tent in Scottsville's town Park. Crozet Farmer's Market: is on Saturdays 8am&endash;12pm. 1156 Crozet Ave. (corner of Jarman's Gap Road) Backyard gardeners and new vendors always welcome. Call 823-7878.

Seminar on stained glass: Every Saturday, geared to the beginner but open to anyone. Call by Friday to reserve a spot. Blue Ridge Glass &Craft, McIntire Business Park at 1724 Allied St. Free. 3:30-5pm. 293 2876.

WORDS Writer's Eye: Students grade 3-12 are invited to join the 17th annual Writer's Eye literary competition by submitting prose or poetry inspired by art on exhibit at the University of Virginia Art Museum. Eleven local teachers and writers will read and review entries. Writer Mariflo Stevens is the prose judge, and state poet laureate George Garrett will judge poetry entries. Winners are announced in the spring. Info at virginiaedu/artmuseum or 924-7142.

Teens who write: Young poets in grades 6-12 are invited to help Jefferson-Madison Regional Libraries celebrate Teen Read Week by submitting their work to the Teen Poetry Contest. Entry forms and guidelines are available at any J-MRL branch. One original poem per person must be submitted by October 18. One middle school winner, one high school winner, and four runners-up will be selected. For more information call Tim at 979-7151, ext. 215 or Wendy at 973-7893.

FAMILY Measuring up: The Virginia Discovery Museum returns home this month with a new roof and a new interactive Back Gallery Exhibit. "The Magical Measurement History Tour" explores the tools, units, and reasoning behind the evolution of measuring. Included in the price of admission. East end of the Downtown Mall. 977-1025. vadm.org.

Discovering plants and animals: The Virginia Museum of Natural History at UVA offers another Lewis and Clark exploration. Visitors can learn about the plants and animals that the Corps of Discovery encountered on their historic journey in the exhibit "Natural History Pioneers: The Flora and Fauna of the Lewis and Clark Expedition" through December 11. Admission is free. 104 Emmet St. 982-4605.

Star search: Two centuries ago, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark didn't have GPS. They and other explorers used the stars to navigate uncharted lands and waterways. The Science Museum of Virginia gives modern travelers the chance to "Follow That Star!" in their new multimedia Planetarium show now through January 11. Included in the price of admission. 2500 West Broad St., Richmond. 800-659-1727. smv.org.

Westward ho!: Fans of Lewis and Clark can join the great adventurers and their Corps of Discovery on their grueling two-year trek across the continent in the giant-screen IMAX film "Lewis & Clark: Great Journey West" now through January 9. Call or see website for schedule and cost. 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond. 800-659-1727. smv.org.

Take it to the limit: The five-story IMAX screen fills with people pushing the limits at the Science Museum of Virginia. The new film Extreme offers a glimpse into the unique relationship between nature and humanity including athletes involved in big wave surfing, ice climbing, skiing, snowboarding, windsurfing, and rock climbing. Now through January 9. Call or see website for schedule and cost. 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond. 800-659-1727. smv.org.

Body works: If you like to know how things work from the inside out, you'll love the latest IMAX film at the Science Museum of Virginia. Now through January 9, visitors can examine, in all its mega-screen glory, the inner workings of their insides in The Human Body. Call or see website for schedule and cost. 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond. 800-659-1727. smv.org.

ART LIST

"Up Close," an exhibit of paintings by Eugenia Rausse, runs through October 30 at the New Dominion Bookshop. Meet the artist at a reception Saturday, October 18, from 3-5pm. 404 E. Main St. 295-2552.

Rick Cocke exhibits his recent work at the Mudhouse through October. 213 W. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 984-6833.

At Mountain Art Gallery through the end of October, Karine Nguyen-Tuong's "Walls of France" are on view. 107 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. karine@karinephoto.com.

Photographer Doug Dertinger exhibits his "HOMEFRONT/wonderworld" at the Fayerweather Gallery through October 31. Rugby Road. 924-6123.

Paintings by Gloria Mitchell are on display in October at The Artful Lodger, 1807 Seminole Trail. 970-1900

Hullihen Williams Moore's exhibit of Shenandoah photography is in place at the ArtSpace gallery on the third floor of Newcomb Hall through November 2. The photos are to be published by the University of Virginia Press. A book launch and gallery reception will take place in the gallery on October 19, from 2-4pm. 924-4164. newcomb@virginia.edu.

The C&O Gallery shows Tamra Kirschnick's "Paintings" through October 31. Next door to the C&O Restaurant, 511 E. Water St. 971-7044.

At the Art Upstairs Gallery, Betty Gore's paintings, "Impressions of Umbria," hang through October 31. Above the Hardware Store Restaurant, 316 E. Main St. 923-3900.

John J. Trippel exhibits new work at City Centro Café through the end of October. 323 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 996-2655.

"Art and the Natural World," an exhibit featuring science themes, is on display at the Science and Engineering Library's new reading room. The exhibit will be a highlight of the library's grand opening in Clark Hall, and will be up through the academic year. The exhibit features work by UVA art faculty. 924-3628.

Paintings by Darrell Rose can be seen while you browse the discs at Spencer's 206&emdash; through October. 218 W. Water St. 295-3080.

Through November 1 at the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, "Whichaway?, photographs from Kiwirrkura 1974-1996" by Jon Rhodes, and "Sacred Circles: The Tingari Cycle in Western Desert Art." 400 Peter Jefferson Place, off Route 250 East at Pantops. 244-0234.

PVCC art faculty member John Hancock's "Making for Home" art exhibit runs through October 29 in the PVCC gallery in the V. Earl Dickinson Building. 501 College Drive. 977-3900.

John Ruseau exhibits his own work at John Ruseau Watercolors in York Place on the Downtown Mall. 112 W. Main St. 977-0627.

"Technogaia," work by Mark Graves and Clark Whittington, is now on display at Gravity Lounge. 103 S. First St. technogaia.net. 977-5590

In October, the McGuffey Art Center presents work by artist Vee Osvalds, painter Caroline Cobb, mixed-media sculptor Andy Faith, and collage artist Rhonda Roebuck. All shows run through November 2. 201 Second St. NW. 295-7973. See Art feature.

Amy Mitchell Howard is featured at Bozart in October. Her mixed media works will be on display through November 3. 211 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. 296-3919.

In October, Transient Crafters presents "Reflections and Illusions," the kaleidoscopes of Tom Ramsden, through the end of October. 118 W. Main on the Downtown Mall. 972-9500.

At the University of Virginia Art Museum, "Steam Power: Railroad Photographs of O. Winston Link," opens October 11 and runs through December 21. From October 21 through November 30, the museum features Pierre Huyghe's video installation, "Third Memory." Also at the museum: "Purple with Love's Wound," Tim Rollins' collaboration with K.O.S. (Kids of Survival), middle-school students from the South Bronx, runs November 9; and Gay Outlaw's "New Work," a site-specific installation, runs through October 12. 155 Rugby Road. 924-3952.

Also, The Rotary Club of Charlottesville is sponsoring a gala benefit on Wednesday, October 15, at the University of Virginia Art Museum. Proceeds from the "Rotary Beaux-Arts Ball" will support the museum's exhibitions and educational opportunities. For additional information contact Mike Alexander 243.8874 or malexander@virginia.edu. Visit virginia.edu/artmuseum/Rotary.htm for details.

Les Yeux du Monde at Dot 2 Dot is showing paintings, prints, and sculpture by Bill Fisher, David Freed, and Ami Oliver&emdash; all artists featured in the film "Long Art," by David Williams, which will be screened at the Virginia Film Festival. Also at Les Yeux, Russ Warren's "From the Sketchbooks." Through the end of October. 115 S. First St. 973-5566.

Radar

Marcus Alan Vincent exhibits "Sojourn in a Dream" at the Williams School Library at Washington and Lee University through December 31. Lexington. 540-458-8602.

The Baker Gallery at Woodberry Forest School features the paintings and sculpture of John Lynch in an exhibition entitled "Applied Metaphysics" through October 31. North of Orange on Route 15. 540-672-3900.

Sunspots Studios in Staunton offer live glassblowing demonstrations every day by master glassblower Phillip Nolley and art glass artist Minh Martin, both in residence. Corner of Lewis and Middlebrook streets in downtown Staunton, across from the train station. 540-885-0678.

Danette Zirkle exhibits "Tell Me About the Rabbits," an exhibit she describes as "bunnies, critters, and country scenes" in acrylic through October in the Bank Building. The corner of Market and Mason streets Harrisonburg. portrait@shentel.net.

At the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the distorted realism of Robert Lazzarini is on view through January 4. 2800 Grove Ave. Richmond. 804-204-2704.

Vidu Palta's "Recent Paintings," a show of still lifes and the natural world depicted in oils, runs through October 31 at Caffé Bocce, 330 Valley St., Scottsville. 286-4422.

Despite the tired saying, one person's trash is seldom another's treasure. Most things tossed out would qualify as trash by just about anyone's definition.

Artist Andy Faith might be out to resurrect the saying with her artwork, albeit with minor modification. For her, trash is still trash, unless, that is, she combs through it and takes what she likes to fashion her wild sculptures. By then, one person's trash could become their own treasure– once it's passed through Faith's hands. But fair warning, you're going to have to pay through the nose to get it back.

Or, of course, you could just go and see your rusty, nasty junk reborn as Faith's artwork. Faith doesn't take just anything. (Although she's willing to rummage– for anyone looking to unload their flotsam, Faith leaves her email at the exhibit.) Certain objects and materials turn up over and over again: bottle caps, plastic toys, rope, rusted metal, mesh, and especially doll parts.

The latter appear in the center of much of Faith's work, which leans heavily on the history of misfit toys imagery for this wooly, outsized art of the useless and forgotten. Faith works and reworks captivity themes as she wraps her dolls– often affixed with glass wings– in metal screens, or places them in frames, boxes, or cages. One of her sculptures actually incorporates a pair of handcuffs.

Human and also animal forms are another familiar aspect of Faith's work, and the careful, almost reverential way she arranges and displays them gives these sculptures a strong secondary association. Faith's sculptures can be colorful, but they are nearly always highly, densely ornamented.

In contrast with the material's humble origins, Faith's work shows great care in their delicate arrangements, and as a result, they look remarkably like small idols or shrines. Dilapidated, covered in rust and broken glass they may be, but they still resemble the colorful gods and goddesses made to be carried through streets.

To other sets of eyes, however, Faith's work might call to mind the post-apocalyptic junk heap imagery of films like AI, or Mad Max. Even if Faith is not working from these sources, the visual lineage is clear enough.

Faith does get carried away with her methods. The large bushy heads she has fashioned like giant masks from old rope and rusted metal are impressive in a way that her entire wall full of bottle-capped encrusted fish are not. The former have an undeniable presence. The latter could double as bar art.

In October, the McGuffey Art Center presents work by sculptor Andy Faith. All shows run through November 2. 201 Second St. NW. 295-7973.

Among the splendidly awful histories of WWII, one drama played itself out in virtual darkness. Action in the China-Burma-India theater (the CBI) was a consistent low priority for military strategists during the war, and an even deeper shadow has shrouded those events in obscurity since. To call the story of the CBI a "forgotten chapter" would be an exaggeration, because it was so unknown to begin with.

It's 1942, and the Japanese Imperial army is sweeping across Southeast Asia with unexpected ferocity. Chinese, Burmese, and puttee-clad British officers are beating a hasty retreat ahead of the Rising Sun, to reassess their losses only on the Indian-Burmese border.

The job of defending the crown jewel of the British Empire and reopening a supply line to beleaguered China will require simultaneous efforts of diplomacy, warfare, and engineering – the latter, in the form of The Burma Road, envisions 700 bridges through impassable jungle tracks and across the Himalayas into hostile territory. Overseeing these daunting tasks are a cranky American general who once incited a food-fight, and an eccentric British guerilla commander known to conduct war councils in the nude.

These are the heroes of The Burma Road, a terrifically engaging history by local author Don Webster.

"The process of writing and researching it was just so fun," says Webster, who travels the globe as a freelance magazine writer but began his career writing short stories. "You don't need fiction with great stories like these."

Three years in the writing, the book afforded numerous research trips to Japan, China, and Burma (today the military state, Myanmar), but Webster has wisely avoided the trap that besets most travel-writers writing about history by limiting his own presence in the book to the prologue and the epilogue.

Like any chronicle of war, The Burma Road is full of death, disease, inhumanity, and futility. And yet, it's great fun to read. Webster is respectfully playful with the oversized characters of General "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell, his British counterpart, Orde Wingate, and their trying ally, Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek. He portrays the Japanese (easily vilified, and with good reason) with laudable objectivity and peppers his pages with enough intriguing characters to populate a spy novel (Julia Child makes a historically accurate cameo as an American OSS agent).

Perhaps The Burma Road will spark a long overdue popular tribute. Perhaps it will inspire a rollicking good movie. At least then the story will pass on a new set of fleet cinematic images to supplement the whistling POW's on the bridge over the River Kwai.

You see, you did know something about the CBI after all.

Donovan Webster discusses the CBI (sometimes known as Confused Bastards in India) and The Burma Road at New Dominion Bookstore, October 15, 5:30pm. 295-2552.

A new wine harvest is in for the tasting, and with the vineyards at their very prettiest, there's no better time to visit local wineries and pass judgment.

In fact, there's a huge number of wines to choose from, and throughout October (which has been designated Virginia Wine Month) wineries are hosting competing events to lure you to their hills.

The weekend of October 11 sees a food and wine tasting at Wintergreen, a musical evening at Veritas and an Octoberfest at First Colony. Similar events, from five-course dinners to art exhibitions, will continue to take place across the region until the end of November when the harvest comes to a close.

Together they'll celebrate the end of a season that's been a challenge to wine growers across Central Virginia. While European heat waves have boosted the quality of this year's crop there, Virginia wines have suffered from too much rain and not enough sun, resulting in a lower concentration of sugar in the grapes.

What nobody will argue is that the 2002 crop is a Chateau Yquem compared to early attempts to grow wine here.

It must have looked very promising to early settlers. As they sailed along the James River, native grapes actually floated their way. Did this herald rivers of wine in their future? Unfortunately, the early vintages were said to taste of wet dog, and later European imports could withstand neither the climate nor the caterpillars. It wasn't until the 19th century that wine growers created hybrids between American and European varieties, with the local grapes providing sturdiness, and the imports, finesse.

While Thomas Jefferson proved far better at drinking wine than growing it (and satisfying his passion for it took a third of his presidential income), he did get those around him to appreciate it. Today his vineyards and those around them are producing an incomparably better wine, with Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Riesling among the region's most popular vinifera.

It's true that Albemarle is not yet Napa, but a picnic at one of about 20 wineries around Charlottesville is still nothing to be sniffed at.

There's a tangy nip in the air these days, and suddenly I want to sink my teeth into a crisp, sweet apple and sip hot apple cider next to a roaring bonfire.

The folks at Graves' Mountain Lodge in Syria understand these cravings and are prepared to help us indulge them. The orchards scattered among the Blue Ridge foothills of their property are laden with Red and Golden Delicious, Stayman, York, Winesap, Mutsu Fuji, and Empire apples and city folks like us are invited to come up and take their pick. And to make it worth our while, owners Jim and Rachel Graves are once again throwing a party with their 34th annual Apple Harvest Festival.

Urban apple pickers will be treated to old-fashioned hospitality, which begins with delicious home-cooked Brunswick stew stirred up in an old kettle over an open fire right there in the festival pavilion. Cornbread, applesauce, cider, and other fair fare are available, too. City dwellers can also see how apple butter is made, cooked up on the spot in a copper pot.

Regional arts and crafts vendors will be selling everything from jewelry to oil paintings and watercolors to warm wooly afghans, ceramics, and plants. In the packing shed, folks can sort through a selection of fresh fall fruit, pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, homemade preserves and condiments, and gallons of apple cider. The Graves Mountain Gift Shop will also be open with clothing, toys, and country gifts.

Kids will want to stray across the road where they'll find a farm full of animals including donkeys, sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, rabbits, and a Scottish Highlands steer. Here they can also hitch a ride on a hay wagon, gallop off into the countryside on horseback, or lose themselves in the hay bale maze.

To round out a perfectly lovely day in the country, music will fill the air with bluegrass bands and cloggers on stage all afternoon.

On a bright fall day, what could be warmer than a trip to the country for a good old-fashioned celebration of the delights of autumn?

The Graves' Mountain Apple Harvest Festival takes place October 11-12 and October 18-19 from 10am-4:30pm. Admission is free. Lunch is served on the festival grounds from 11:30am-4pm or as long as it lasts. Meals at the Lodge are by reservation only. Rt. 670 in Syria. 540-923-4231. gravesmountain.com.

What do you get when you take eight sex-starved women with a flair for the dramatic, lock them in a massive house in a small Spanish village, and subject them to years of brutal discipline?

No, not the new Fox reality show. That's set in Brazil.

What you get is arguably the best Spanish drama of the 20th century: Federico Garcia Lorca's The House of Bernarda Alba. It's the UVA Drama Department's season opener, and thanks to the school's decision that the undergrads couldn't make it another day without a reading holiday, you've only got till Friday to see it.

Don't let the flashy title fool you. It's not light entertainment. The house-owner in question is a cane-wielding shrew who slowly chokes the life out of her five daughters and two servants after the death of her husband. She even keeps her own mother locked in the basement&emdash; though the white-haired old woman periodically breaks out to rant about marrying "a beautiful manly man from the shore of the sea" and having lots of babies.

You always need one character everybody can relate to.

Poetry lovers know Lorca as the author of lightly surrealistic and ravishingly beautiful lyrics. His verse exploded in popularity after his murder at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War and has continued to find new readers since.

Alba is the work of the more sober, socially critical Lorca. The play tackles the social and sexual repression of Spanish women in the '30s&emdash; and, by extension, social and sexual repression in all forms. Especially in the form of cane-wielding shrews.

UVA's Alba is the work of MFA directing candidate Jan Murphy Mason, who's no stranger to sexual repression: She directed Tennessee Williams' classic Night of the Iguana last season. When asked why she chose Alba, Mason's answer was simple: "Strong women."

That's Lorca's best&emdash; and grimmest&emdash; joke. There's not a man in sight for two hours, but their presence is so strong, the stage might as well be crawling with them. Not a minute passes without reference either to the family's recently deceased patriarch, or to the coveted Pepe el Romano, a local bachelor who has the sisters at each other's throats.

The strong women who make out best here are the actresses who fill the lead roles, especially MFA Maura Molloy as Alba. Director Murphy's resolutely literal approach sometimes lets the play veer toward a period piece, but Molloy is mesmerizing throughout. And, as always in UVA's main stages, the design and production values are spectacular.

So see it now, the way it was meant to be seen. Before somebody at Fox decides to go highbrow.

One more thing. This is also the final weekend of Live Arts' last bash on Water Street, "Coffeehouse 13." It may be the last Coffeehouse of all time. So don't miss it.

The final performances of The House of Bernarda Alba are Thursday, October 9, and Friday, October 10, at UVA's Culbreath Theater. 8pm. $7-12. 109 Culbreth Road. 924-3376.

The final performances of Live Arts' Coffeehouse 13 are Friday, October 10, and Saturday, October 11. 8pm. Light fare, drinks, and desserts are served beginning one hour prior to show time. Tickets are $8-12, light fare is $7-10. 609 E. Market St. 977-4177 x108.

If you're looking for some old fashioned rock n' roll mayhem, look no further– The Black Keys, a guitar/drums duo from Akron, Ohio– not only play a fantastic modern version of mid '60s blues-rock, they also continued in the great tradition of their rock forefathers last August by getting banned from New York's Gramercy Park Hotel– reportedly for throwing items from their suite's window.

Are you sold yet? Well, let me tell you a little about the group, and you can make up your own mind.

Composed of just singer/guitarist Dan Auerback and drummer Patrick Carney, the Black Keys released their debut album, The Big Come Up, in 2002– grainy and distorted, as well as noticeably lo-fi, the group's sound jelled on this first release.

Auerback's guitar playing is similarly timeless; distorted blues riffs seem to pour out of the man like water, and the interplay between vocals and instrument leave little doubt that the singer truly picked the right genre on which to bestow his talents.

Thickfreakness begins with the album's title track, and almost from the first ascending note of Auerback's guitar, you know something different is afoot. Carney and Auerback begin their instrumental interplay simultaneously, with a riff that sounds like something that Hendrix, in a simple mood, would have laid down in '67.

Auerback's slurred but utterly convincing blues melody takes over from the moment it enters-&endash; the tune is rather slow and methodical, but surprisingly does not get dull, even with repeated listenings, which says something about the songwriting ability of its creator.

"Hard Row" sounds like something Cream would have thrown out in '67 (good year); though Auerback lacks Clapton's virtuosity (this is, of course, stating the obvious), he more than gets the point across with his loose riffs here. To a melody that owes something to "Strange Brew" Auerback testifies, "If you want to go / and leave your man / go on / I'll understand." A staccato chorus leads to a bridge straight out of the past, where Auerback's vocals follow his guitar note-for-note as he sings at the top of his register, something that sounds like "Why go to hell all by yourself" (I did mention his propensity for slurring, did I not?).

A two-man act for the price of four? With The Black Keys, it'll be money well spent.

The Black Keys perform with The Magic Magicians at Starr Hill Wednesday, October 15. $10/$8, 9pm.